Yes, I AM trading with IB, running the Linux version of their TWS desktop platform. Haven't noticed any software or OS related issues so far. TDAmeritrade claims that ToS runs on Linux, but I haven't tried it yet. Newbie here, still underfunded, so I trade one day a week, three trades in/out, and I paper trade a couple days a week. My OS is Ubuntu 18.04 I think... got several computers and so not sure of the ver on the trading computer. Everything I got is Ubuntu 16.04, 18.04, or 19.04. I am sure any Debian distro would work just as well. I would check but got house full of company and I am ignoring everyone, but they are in the way. I will look later. But yes, you can trade with IB on your Linux machine with no problems.
Linux mostly picks up all standard hardware with no drivers and few issues. Dell is known to be very Linux friendly, in particular. Linux doesn't rely heavily on third party drivers. Most of the code is in the kernel already. It is a whole nother critter from WinDOHs. So here is what I suggest. Get a midrange Dell desktop with two HDMI out ports. Set up and register WinDOHs. Do a full system restore backup. Now, you know you can at least run "that other" operating system if the computer won't do Linux for some reason. Then download Ubuntu and the tools you need to create a live USB drive. Do the thing, make the USB thumb drive, and change your boot order so you can boot from USB. Reboot from the USB and try Ubuntu. There is VERY GOOD peer support for Linux in general, and particularly Ubuntu. Just google stuff, with "Ubuntu" as the first term in the search string. A lot of things are different in Linux if you are coming from that other OS. You will sooner better than later get acquainted with the Terminal. This is an incredibly powerful and flexible tool, one that MS has never even come close to matching. A DOS window or whatever they call it these days looks the same, maybe, but it is just an also-ran. You will not have an "admin" password and a user account. Well, yeah you will have a user account, but Linux has a Root user. However, by default most modern Linux systems do not have a root account. Without root, you can't do much (and neither can anyone else) to harm your system. You get the same power and privileges by using the "sudo" command. There is no "hyperuser" like in WinDOHs. The hyperuser is Microsoft, btw. They can do anything they want to your system without your permission and without notifying you either beforehand, or after. This is even legal, spelled out in black and white in the EULA. Obviously other people have figured out how to muscle in or sneak in through this big wide back door, too. Doesn't exist in Linux. Also it is open source. ANY user or even a non user with the requisite skill set can examine the source code and look for exploits. This is one of Linux's strengths. Nothing is "secret". Anyway there are a few differences in the desktop, though Mint probably comes closest to matching the WinDOHs desktop. Ubuntu isn't so tough though, and has a bigger user base. When you have Linux set up, just go to the IB website on your Linux machine and the site will read the UserAgent string and offer you the Linux build of their software automatically. Follow the simple install procedure and start paper trading. Do that until you are confident and then there you go. Any standard sound card, should you need one, and USB board, and graphics card, and whatever other basic hardware you got, should play just fine. HP printers usually work well on Linux. Don't care for their computers at all but their printers are basic and flexible and play nicely with Linux. Once your HDMI graphics and USB are running, you can basically plug in any keyboard, mouse, and monitors. Don't be skeered. Go for it.
In fact I find Dell laptops as a really good option for trading for good money. I was searching a good laptop for a really long time. I am a student and I decided to try trading, but, unfortunately I don't have a lot of money, so I wanted to find a laptop which corresponds its price. I have learned this useful article about laptops for online college studying that, to my mind, were suitable for trading, and made a decision to buy Dell XPS9560-7001SLV-PUSand, in fact, I installed Linux there. This article would be useful for everyone who wants to choose a laptop for college studies. To be honest, that laptop became suitable for trading too as I've installed Linux there
Have you re-installed lately? I loved TOS back in the day and just tried to install but Java 13 doesn't seem to be working with it.
No, Is it broke now? I stll use old-stable Debian with Oracle Java 9 I think. Haven't changed anything yet. Thank you for the warning.